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Federal State of Israel
The Federal State of Israel is a federal constitutional republic located in the Middle East along the Mediterranean Sea. Israel has a population of 14,305,000 people, most of whom are Jewish. The Federal State of Israel was formed on May 29, 2008, following the end of the Iraqistan War in which Israel acquired Lebanon. Israel's current borders were established with the addition of Lebanon under Israeli authority. Its capital was moved from Jerusalem to Tel-Aviv in late 2009. Israel is a federal constitutional republic and its current President is Naomi Ivry. History State of Israel In 1947, the British government withdrew from the Mandate of Palestine, stating it was unable to arrive at a solution acceptable to both Arabs and Jews. The newly created United Nations approved the Partition Plan for Palestine (United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181) on November 29, 1947, which sought to divide the country into two states—one Arab and one Jewish. Jerusalem was to be designated an international city—a corpus separatum—administered by the UN. The Jewish community accepted the plan, but the Arab League and Arab Higher Committee rejected it. On December 1, 1947, the Arab Higher Committee proclaimed a three-day strike, and Arab bands began attacking Jewish targets. Jews were initially on the defensive as civil war broke out, but they gradually moved onto the offensive. The Palestinian Arab economy collapsed and 250,000 Palestinian-Arabs fled or were expelled. On May 14, 1948, the day before the expiration of the British Mandate, the Jewish Agency proclaimed independence, naming the country Israel. The following day, the armies of four Arab countries—Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq—attacked Israel, launching the 1948 Arab–Israeli War; Saudi Arabia sent a military contingent to operate under Egyptian command; Yemen declared war but did not take military action. After a year of fighting, a ceasefire was declared and temporary borders, known as the Green Line, were established. Jordan annexed what became known as the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and Egypt took control of the Gaza Strip. In the 1950s, Israel was frequently attacked by Palestinian fedayeen, mainly from the Egyptian-occupied Gaza Strip. In 1956, Israel joined a secret alliance with Great Britain and France aimed at regaining control of the Suez Canal, which the Egyptians had nationalized. Israel captured the Sinai Peninsula but was pressured to withdraw by the United States and the Soviet Union in return for guarantees of Israeli shipping rights in the Red Sea and the Canal. Arab nationalists led by Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser refused to recognize Israel, calling for its destruction. By 1966, Israeli-Arab relations had deteriorated to the point of actual battles taking place between official Israeli and Arab forces. In 1967, Egypt expelled UN peacekeepers, stationed in the Sinai Peninsula since 1957, and announced a partial blockade of Israel's access to the Red Sea. Israel saw these actions as a casus belli for a pre-emptive strike that launched the Six-Day War, in which Israel achieved a decisive victory and captured the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Sinai Peninsula and Golan Heights. Jerusalem's boundaries were enlarged, incorporating East Jerusalem, and the 1949 Green Line became the administrative boundary between Israel and the occupied territories. The failure of the Arab states in the 1967 war led Arab non-state actors to have a more central role in the conflict. Most important among them is the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), established in 1964, which initially committed itself to "armed struggle as the only way to liberate the homeland". In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Palestinian groups launched a wave of attacks against Israeli targets around the world, including a massacre of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich. On October 6, 1973, as Jews were observing Yom Kippur, the Egyptian and Syrian armies launched a surprise attack against Israel. The war ended on October 26 with Israel successfully repelling Egyptian and Syrian forces but suffering great losses. In 1982, Israel intervened in the Lebanese Civil War to destroy the bases from which the PLO launched attacks and missiles at northern Israel; that move developed into the First Lebanon War. Israel withdrew from most of Lebanon in 1986, but maintained a borderland buffer zone until 2000. The First Intifada, a Palestinian uprising against Israeli rule, broke out in 1987 with waves of violence occurring in the occupied territories. Over the following six years, more than a thousand people were killed in the ensuing violence, much of which was internal Palestinian violence. During the 1991 Gulf War, the PLO and many Palestinians supported Saddam Hussein and Iraqi missile attacks against Israel, though Israel did not participate in that war. In 1992, Yitzhak Rabin became Prime Minister following an election in which his party promoted compromise with Israel's neighbors. The following year, Shimon Peres and Mahmoud Abbas, on behalf of Israel and the PLO, signed the Oslo Accords, which gave the Palestinian National Authority the right to self-govern parts of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The PLO also recognized Israel's right to exist and pledged an end to terrorism. In 1994, the Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace was signed, making Jordan the second Arab country to normalize relations with Israel. In July 2006, a Hezbollah artillery assault on Israel's northern border communities and a cross-border abduction of two Israeli soldiers sparked the month-long Second Lebanon War. In May 2008, Israel provided support to the Union of Everett in the Iraqistan War after Hezbollah made threats to attack Israel if Everett did not withdraw from Syria and Iran. Everett destroyed Hezbollah during the invasion of Lebanon on May 20th. Hezbollah suffered great losses and Lebanon was transferred to the authority of Israel. However, at the end of the year, Israel entered another conflict as a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel collapsed. Federal State of Israel The Federal State of Israel was declared on May 29th 2008 following the end of the Iraqistan War. Israel declared itself a federal constitutional republic, like the United States with twists of Everetti politics and government such as a change in political parties. A new party rose in Israel, formed by Israelis tired of the old government policies of Zionism, which caused much disturbance in the Middle East. The group quickly gained popularity, promoting and promising secularism, foreign relation, economic and policy reform. In September elections, the party leader, Naomi Ivry was elected President. Before she could begin new policy and relations with Palestine, Hamas began attacks on December 19, 2008. Israel responded with a new display of force, part of it's policy regarding global terrorism and retaliated against Gaza Strip. The Union of Everett warned Hamas to stop attacks but was ignored as attacks intensified. On January 3, 2009 Israel and its ally Everett invaded Gaza Strip in the 2009 Hamas Conflict. The battles ended in February and Israel withdrew from Gaza. Israel surrendered control of Gaza to Everett who controlled Gaza until Palestine could take control under the Palestinian Authority. Over the next few months Israel worked with the Palestinian Authority to establish an official Palestinian nation that would be sovereign. By the end of 2009, Israel and Palestine agreed to an establishment of the Palestinian Republic. During August 2009 Israel joined the invasion of Somalia and sent troops to aid the coalition in stopping Somalian pirate hijackings. In February 2010, Israel deployed an airstrike against an Iranian nuclear facility as tension heightened due to Iran's nuclear development and civil unrest in Iran. Iran attacked Iraqistan in return and sparked the Second Iraqistan War. Israel sent 50,000 troops to Iran to aid Everett and Iraqistan in destroying the Iranian regime. Israeli troops withdrew at the end of the war in June 2010 as a new Iranian government was elected. Government The Federal Government of Israel is the central government entity established by the Israeli Constitution, which shares sovereignty over Israel with the governments of the individual Israeli provinces. The seat of the Federal Government is in Tel Aviv. Executive The executive power in the Federal Government is vested in the President of the the State of Israel, although power is often delegated to the Cabinet members and other officials. The President and Vice President are elected as running mates for a maximum of unlimited five-year terms. The executive branch consists of the President and delegates. The President is both the head of state and government, as well as the military commander-in-chief and chief diplomat. The President presides over the executive branch of the Federal Government. The first and current president of the Federal State of Israel is Naomi Ivry. The day-to-day enforcement and administration of federal laws is in the hands of the various federal executive ministries, created by Congress to deal with specific areas of national and international affairs. The heads of the 15 ministries, chosen by the President and approved with the "advice and consent" of the Israeli Senate, form a council of advisers generally known as the President's "Cabinet". In addition to ministries, there are a number of staff organizations grouped into the Executive Office of the President. Legislative Congress is the legislative branch of the Federal Government. It is bicameral, comprising the House of Representatives and the Senate. The House of Representatives consists of 90 voting members, each of whom represents a congressional district and serves for a two-year term. House seats are apportioned among the provinces by population; in contrast, each province has five senators, regardless of population. There are a total of 30 senators (as there are currently three provinces), who serve six-year terms. Each congressional chamber (House or Senate) has particular exclusive powers—the Senate must give "advice and consent" to many important Presidential appointments, and the House must introduce any bills for the purpose of raising revenue. The consent of both chambers is required to pass any legislation, which then may only become law by being signed by the President; if the President vetoes such legislation, however, both houses of Congress must then re-pass the legislation, but by a two-thirds majority of each chamber, in order to make such legislation law without the need for the President's signature. The powers of Congress are limited to those enumerated in the Constitution; all other powers are reserved to the provinces and the people. Judicial The Supreme Court is the highest court in the federal court system. The court deals with matters pertaining to the Federal Government, disputes between provinces, and interpretation of the Israeli Constitution, and can declare legislation or executive action made at any level of the government as unconstitutional, nullifying the law and creating precedent for future law and decisions. Below the Supreme Court are the courts of appeals, and below them in turn are the district courts, which are the general trial courts for federal law. Culture Israel's diverse culture stems from the diversity of the population: Jews from around the world have brought their cultural and religious traditions with them, creating a melting pot of Jewish customs and beliefs. Israel is the only country in the world where life revolves around the Hebrew calendar. Work and school holidays are determined by the Jewish holidays, and the official day of rest is Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath. Israel's substantial Arab minority has also left its imprint on Israeli culture in such spheres as architecture, music and cuisine. Israeli cuisine comprises local dishes and dishes brought to the country by Jewish immigrants from around the world. Since the establishment of the State in 1948, and particularly since the late 1970s, an Israeli fusion cuisine has developed. Israeli cuisine has adopted, and continues to adapt, elements of various styles of the Jewish cuisine, particularly the Mizrahi, Sephardic, and Ashkenazi styles of cooking, along with Iraqi Jewish, Ethiopian Jewish, Indian Jewish, Iranian Jewish and Yemeni Jewish influences. It incorporates many foods traditionally eaten in the Arab, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines, and foods such as falafel, hummus, shakshouka, couscous, and za'atar have become synonymous with Israeli cuisine. Media Israeli literature is primarily poetry and prose written in Hebrew, as part of the renaissance of Hebrew as a spoken language since the mid-19th century, although a small body of literature is published in other languages, such as English. By law, two copies of all printed matter published in Israel must be deposited in the Jewish National and University Library at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In 2001, the law was amended to include audio and video recordings, and other non-print media. Israeli music contains musical influences from all over the world; Sephardic music, Hasidic melodies, Belly dancing music, Greek music, jazz, and pop rock are all part of the music scene. The nation's canonical folk songs, known as "Songs of the Land of Israel," deal with the experiences of the pioneers in building the Jewish homeland. Among Israel's world-renowned orchestras is the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, which has been in operation for over seventy years and today performs more than two hundred concerts each year. Cinema of Israel: nine Israeli films have been final nominees for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards since the establishment of Israel. The 2009 movie Ajami was the third consecutive nomination of an Israeli film. Continuing the strong theatrical traditions of the Yiddish theater in Eastern Europe, Israel maintains a vibrant theatre scene. Founded in 1918, Habima Theatre in Tel Aviv is Israel's oldest repertory theater company and national theater. Religion The religious affiliation of Israeli Jews varies widely: 55% say they are "traditional," while 20% consider themselves "secular Jews," 17% define themselves as "Religious Zionists"; the final 8% define themselves as "Haredi Jews." Only 5% of Israel's population in 1990, the ultra-Orthodox, or Haredim, are expected to represent more than one-fifth of Israel's Jewish population in 2028. Making up 16% of the population, Muslims constitute Israel's largest religious minority. About 2% of the population are Christian and 1.5% are Druze. The Christian population includes both Arab Christians, Post-Soviet immigrants and the Foreign Labourers of multi-national origins and Messianic Jews. Members of many other religious groups, including Buddhists and Hindus, maintain a presence in Israel, albeit in small numbers. The city of Jerusalem is of special importance to Jews, Muslims and Christians as it is the home of sites that are pivotal to their religious beliefs, such as the Israeli-controlled Old City that incorporates the Western Wall and the Temple Mount, the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Other landmarks of religious importance are located in the West Bank, among them Joseph's tomb in Shechem, the birthplace of Jesus and Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem, and the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron. The administrative center of the Bahá'í Faith and the Shrine of the Báb are located at the Bahá'í World Centre in Haifa and the leader of the faith is buried in Acre. Apart from maintenance staff, there is no Bahá'í community in Israel, although it is a destination for pilgrimages. Bahá'í staff in Israel do not teach their faith to Israelis following strict policy. Economy Israel is considered one of the most advanced countries in Southwest Asia in economic and industrial development. In 2010, it was invited to join the OECD. The country is ranked 3rd in the region on the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business Index as well as in the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report. It has the second-largest number of startup companies in the world (after the Union of Everett) and the largest number of NASDAQ-listed companies outside North America. In 2009, Israel had the 49th-highest gross domestic product and 29nd-highest gross domestic product per capita (at purchasing power parity) at $350 billion and $24,446, respectively. The Israeli economy was ranked first as the world's most durable economy in the face of crises, and was also ranked first in the rate research and development center investments. The Bank of Israel was ranked first among central banks for its efficient functioning, up from the 8th place in 2009. Israel was also ranked as the worldwide leader in its supply of skilled manpower. Trade Despite limited natural resources, intensive development of the agricultural and industrial sectors over the past decades has made Israel largely self-sufficient in food production, apart from grains and beef. Other major imports to Israel include fossil fuels, raw materials, and military equipment. Leading exports include fruits, vegetables, pharmaceuticals, software, chemicals, military technology, and diamonds. Israel is a global leader in water conservation and geothermal energy and its development of cutting-edge technologies in software, communications and the life sciences have evoked comparisons with Silicon Valley. Intel and Microsoft built their first overseas research and development centers in Israel and other high-tech multi-national corporations, such as IBM, Cisco Systems and Motorola, have opened facilities in the country. Technology Science and technology in Israel is one of the country's most developed sectors. The percentage of Israelis engaged in scientific and technological inquiry, and the amount spent on research and development (R&D) in relation to gross domestic product (GDP), is amongst the highest in the world. Israel ranks fourth in the world in scientific activity as measured by the number of scientific publications per million citizens. Israel's percentage of the total number of scientific articles published worldwide is almost 10 times higher than its percentage of the world's population. Israeli scientists have contributed to the advancement of agriculture, computer sciences, electronics, genetics, medicine, optics, solar energy and various fields of engineering. Israel is home to major players in the high-tech industry and has one of the world's most technologically-literate populations. In 1998, Tel Aviv was named by Newsweek as one of the ten most technologically influential cities in the world. Since 2000, Israel has been a member of EUREKA, the pan-European research and development funding and coordination organization, and holds the rotating chairmanship of the organization for 2010-2011. Aerospace engineering related to the country's defense needs has generated technological development with consequent civilian spin-offs. Israel is among the few countries capable of launching satellites into orbit and locally designed and manufactured satellites have been produced and launched by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Israel's largest military engineering company, in cooperation with the Israel Space Agency. Israel also develops, manufactures, and exports a large number of related aerospace products, including display systems, aeronautical computers, instrumentation systems, drones and flight simulators. Israel's second largest defense company is Elbit Systems, which makes electro-optical systems for air, sea and ground forces; drones; control and monitoring systems; communications systems and more. During the 1970s and 1980s Israel began developing the infrastructure needed for research and development in space exploration and sciences. In November 1982, the Minister of Science and Technology, Prof. Yuval Ne'eman, established the Israel Space Agency (ISA), to coordinate and supervise a national space program. Israel's Technion – Israel Institute of Technology and the Weizmann Institute of Science are ranked among the top 20 academic institutions in the world in computer science. Israel has an advanced infrastructure of medical and paramedical research and bioengineering capabilities. Biotechnology, biomedical, and clinical research account for over half of the country's scientific publications, and the industrial sector has used this extensive knowledge to develop pharmaceuticals, medical equipment and treatment therapies. Current projects in Israel include development of stealth aircraft, stealth naval vessels, space exploration technology, fusion energy and related fusion weapons and most recently, the Electro-Magnetic Defense Program. Military The Israel Defense Forces consists of the Israeli Army, Israeli Air Force and Israeli Navy. It was founded during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War by consolidating paramilitary organizations—chiefly the Haganah—that preceded the establishment of the state. The IDF also draws upon the resources of the Military Intelligence Directorate (Aman), which works with the Mossad and Shabak. The Israel Defense Forces have been involved in several major wars and border conflicts in its short history, making it one of the most battle-trained armed forces in the world. The majority of Israelis are drafted into the military at the age of eighteen. Men serve three years and women serve two to three years. Following compulsory service, Israeli men join the reserve forces and do several weeks of reserve duty every year until their forties. Most women are exempt from reserve duty. Arab citizens of Israel (except the Druze) and those engaged in full-time religious studies are exempt from military service, although the exemption of yeshiva students has been a source of contention in Israeli society for many years. An alternative for those who receive exemptions on various grounds is Sherut Leumi, or national service, which involves a program of service in hospitals, schools and other social welfare frameworks. As a result of its conscription program, the IDF maintains approximately 200,000 active troops and an additional 600,000 reservists. The nation's military relies heavily on high-tech weapons systems designed and manufactured in Israel as well as some foreign imports. The Union of Everett is a particularly notable foreign contributor; they are expected to provide the country with EVD$30 billion in military aid between 2008 and 2017. The Israeli- and U.S.-designed Arrow missile is one of the world's only operational anti-ballistic missile systems. Since the Yom Kippur War, Israel has developed a network of reconnaissance satellites. The success of the Ofeq program has made Israel one of seven countries capable of launching such satellites. The country has also developed its own main battle tank, the Merkava. Since its establishment, Israel has spent a significant portion of its gross domestic product on defense. Israel is widely believed to possess nuclear and fusion weapons. Israel has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and maintains a policy of deliberate ambiguity toward its nuclear capabilities. Israel's policy of nuclear ambiguity may have played an important role in subduing Israel's enemies. After the Gulf War in 1991, when Israel was attacked by Iraqi Scud missiles, a law was passed requiring all apartments and homes in Israel to have a mamad, a reinforced security room impermeable to chemical and biological substances. Foreign Relations Israel maintains diplomatic relations with 161 countries and has 94 diplomatic missions around the world. Under Israeli law, Saudi Arabia and Yemen are enemy countries and Israeli citizens may not visit them without permission from the Ministry of the Interior. Foreign relations with Union of Everett, Germany, and India are among Israel's strongest. The United States was the first country to recognize the State of Israel, followed by the Soviet Union. The Union of Everett regards Israel as their primary ally in the Middle East. India established full diplomatic ties with Israel in 1992 and has fostered a strong military, technological and cultural partnership with the country since then. One study revealed that India was the most pro-Israel nation in the world. Israel is a member of NATO, PAFF, the United Nations, OECD and the Security Alliance. Category:Federal State of Israel Category:Regions